I love January. It’s cold and quiet is a welcome respite after the jangling hustle and bustle of the holidays. Sometimes it snows, transforming the grey and boring landscape into something sparkling and wonderful. On those days, everything comes to a full stop. We stay in pajamas and grab our blankets, cups of coffee or cocoa or tea, a good book or movie or board game, and take time to just be. And in the being, we have time to think…to consider…to dream. January, in its quiet possibility, reminds us that we don’t ever just remain what we are–we can grow–we can adopt new habits, set new goals, seek self-improvement. And for people of faith, it is a reminder of God’s graciousness, because the one who knit us together in our mother’s womb is still creating.

God doesn’t ever let us be. He is, as C.S. Lewis wrote, the “great hound of heaven” (or, if you rather Anne LaMott’s description–a stray tom cat yowling at the front door.) As Paul writes in Romans 8, God had a plan for us in the dawn of time. Millions of years before the first person would ever set foot on Earth, centuries before our ancestors began putting down roots, decades before our parents even considered the next generation, God was working in our lives to write his redemptive story.

God sees the possibility in our lives. He knows where we’re going, even if it doesn’t always seem clear to us. He knows the obstacles that will stand in our way, and is ready to hold us when the journey becomes too much. He’s there, every step of the way, teaching us and mentoring us–fashioning us in his image–not the one we see in the mirror–hand held out, inviting us to follow. God offers the gift of possibility. 

So, what possibility is God speaking into your life this year? What dreams is he whispering into your soul? If you’re like me, I bet some of them are pretty daunting. In my experience, God likes a big project–something I could never accomplish on my own. Like writing a book. Or pursuing a degree. Sponsoring a ministry. Even embarking on a new career path. Possibility can seem impossible, until God steps into the room. As Jesus told his disciples:

I don’t know how God will work out the possibilities he’s offering in your life. But I know it will be wondrous and surprising–surpassing all you could dream or imagine. My life at 46 is vastly different from the life I was working toward at 26…yet it is also infinitely better. When I accepted God’s call of possibility, it changed my life for the better, even if it wasn’t anything I had planned.

This January, as you contemplate change, take some time to lean into God’s possibility for your story. When we step into God’s possibility, we see the world (and ourselves) through his eyes, moving beyond who we are into who God calls us to be. Are you ready?

Blessings and Peace,

Sara